Mugai Shinden Mugai Ryu Iai Heiho

Mugai Shinden Mugai Ryu Iai Heiho is a classical Japanese sword school grounded in 1694 by Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi. He had put together his knowledge and skills, gained in Yamaguchi Ryu, with his own battle experience and Zen practice.

Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi was born in samurai family in 1648 in Masugimura city (Shiga prefecture). He was the second son of Tsuji Dayu, Sasaki Takatsuna’s attendant. Tsuji Gettan was called Sukeshige (can be also pronounced as Sukemochi); Gettan name he took himself being the junior son, and Mugai is a pseudonym taken later.

Gettan left his native land in 1660, when he was 13 years old and started to train in Yamaguchi Ryu dojo in Kyoto. Bokushinsai Yamaguchi, who had mastered Kashima-Shinto Ryu, Shinkage Ryu and Awaga Ryu, became his teacher. Having become a master, he grounded his own style, named after him - Yamaguchi Ryu.

Today Yamaguchi Ryu does not exist as a whole school, but its elements are passed in Mugai Ryu.

Gettan had been studying under Yamaguchi for 13 years and in 1674, being 26 years old, gained “kaiden” - the highest degree in the school mastering. Soon after that he left Kyoto and was roaming as a wandering warrior, giving himself up to different askezas to make himself and his art perfect. Often he would stay in wild areas near mountains. There Gettan intensively trained “batto” (sword reaching) and “notto” (sheathing the sword). The legend narrates that he was making those basic techniques up to a thousand times a day. Besides he used to carry out “misogi” - the rite of purification, bathing in cold mountains water and meditating under the waterfalls. Having completed his intensive askeza and achieved a mystical revelation, Gettan left Kansai region and went to Edo (today Tokyo) to open there his own dojo.

There are a number of legends regarding the founder of Mugai Ryu. One of them narrates as following:

When Gettan came to Edo, he looked absolutely savage and awesome. His cloth, kimono, haori and hakama were shabby and dirty. Gettan was unshaven with long frowzy waving hair. A young warrior met in the street was indignant at his untidy appearance, as Gettan was walking down Edo. When the conflict arose, Gettan, without a single word, put his straw hat off and, having squared up, stared at the boy with a piercing glance. The warrior gave a start and run away, being afraid of coming into contact with that savage.

In some time Gettan opened his dojo in Kojimachi region in Edo.

At that time there were a lot of fencing schools in Edo. But during Tokugawa period (1600 - 1868) for majority the severe and brute art of Sengoku Jidai was not so attractive as it used to be. Warriors were looking for a subtle style. That was exactly what they saw in Gettan’s dojo. In the beginning the students’ quantity was little and the school’s founder was rather poor. But he had a lot of time for his personal practice.

Most of the time he had spent in Tsukozan Kyuikoji temple. There he was polishing his sword techniques. He was also rather actively practicing zazen (sitting meditation) and studied classical Chinese and Japanese literature under Zen mentor and temple’s keeper - Sekitan Zenshi. Some consider Zen Buddhism to be not so wide spread in classical Japanese Martial Arts. But as a great sword master Miyamoto Musashi, Gettan was struck by the expression: “Ken Zen Ichi Nyo” - sword and Zen are same.

In 1693, have been practicing Zen and fencing for 19 years, Gettan considered himself worthy to hold Mygai name. He took it from the philosophical poem of Sekitan.

                                                               Ippo jitsu mugai

·                                                               Kenkon toku itten

                                                               Suimo ho nomitsu

                                                               Dochaku soku kosei

He used the same concept in the name of his fencing style - Mugai Ryu. Lots consider his style to touch the fencers of his time on the raw. His relatively simple techniques were directly connected with Zen philosophy and practice. The quantity of his students was gradually increasing, and when the master’s eminence had arisen, the students of a high rank came. Daimyo and jikisans (direct shogun’s attendants) became his students. There were a number of famous among them - Yamanouchi Toyomasa, Tosa province daimyo; Ogasawara Sadonokami Nagashide and Sakai Kageyu Tadaaki, Himeiji castle owner. The quantity of students of a low rank was more then several hundreds.

That rapid progress brought the subsequent invitation - in 1709 with Sakai, Himeiji owner, assistance Gettan got the opportunity to demonstrate his art in the presence of the 5th Tokugawa shogun - Tsunayoshi Tokugawa. But the event failed because of unexpected death of the shogun. Such invitation was a great honour for a modest samurai and indicated a high recognition of his skills.

Tsuji Gettan Sukeshige passed away on 23rd June 1727 at the age of 77. The exact quantity of his students today unfortunately is not known, as his house and most of the documents were destroyed by the fire of 1695.

During his life time Gettan had neither wife, nor children. Tsuji Uheita, who, probably, was not his son, became the successor and the next Head of the School. After him the School was led by adopted son of the founder - Tsuji Kimata.

Mugai Ryu is considered to be initially ken-jutsu School. Today Mugai Ryu is mostly known as iai-jutsu direction. The accent was shifted in the middle of Edo period. Takahashi Hachisuke Mitsusuke and his junior brother Hidetsu had been studying Mugai Ryu under 4th Soke Tsuji Bunzaemon Suketaka. At the same time they were practicing Juko Ryu Iai under Yamamura Masashige, 5th Soke of the School. These two, having become good masters and achieved the highest grade in the School, have brought numerous “iai” practices in Mugai Ryu. 

Mugai Ryu genealogy

Edo line Mugai Ryu

1. Tsuji Gettan Sukeshige

2. Tsuji Uheita

3. Tsuji Kimata Sukehide

4. Tsuji Bunzaemon Suketaka

5. Tsuji Kimata Sukeyuki                -             Himeiji line Mugai Ryu

6. Tsuji Bunzaemon Sukenobu                     6. Takahashi Hachisuke Mitsusuke

7. Tsuji Kinichiro Yoshishige                         7. Takahashi Tatsuzo Mitsuharu

8. Tsuji Kimata Shibaoka                              8. Takahashi Hachisuke Shigeyuki

9.Tsuji Kamegoro Sadatoku                         9. Takahashi Tetsuo Takeshige

                                                                    10.Takahashi Kyutaro Koun

                                                                    11. Nakagawa Shiryo Shinichi

Fujimoto Yoshio became Mugai Ryu representative after Soke Nakagawa death. He was not active instructor of the School, but was carrying organizational obligations for some time.

It is considered that Edo line ended with the death of its 9th Soke, but the School proceeded its spreading also in Himeiji.

In youth Takahashi Hachizuke Mitsusuke, a friend of 6th Soke Tsuji Bunzaemon Sukenobu, became a student of 4th Soke. Later he was studying under 5th Soke Tsuji Sukeyuki. Takahashi was the official teacher of Sakai house in Himeiji. He and his successor kept that position and were teaching Mugai Ryu as menkyo kaidensya. In some time, having formed Himeiji line, Takahashi Hachitsuke became the 6th Soke. In that direction the School was passed through his inherits.

Himeiji line lasted up to 11^th Soke Nakagawa Suryo Sunichi. But before his death Nakagawa had not designated the official successor. During his life he grounded the organization - Mugai kai. All the students, holding high grades and “men no maki” passing, were to practise there. After Soke’s death Fudzimoto Yoshio became the organization representative. But the plan failed - the School split, and today it is practised under different masters’ lead.

There was no kyu-dan system in Mugai Ryu at the times of Soke Nakagawa. Some present instructor titles could be assigned when the candidate achieved 6^th Nippon Iaido Renmei only. Rokudan corresponded to Mugai Ryu “men no maki” (menkyo) and the student, achieved it and got the license, could become an Instructor in his own dojo. After that, in some time, the adherent could get “renshi” title. Afterwards, having achieved 7^th dan, it was possible to get “kyoshi” title and at last 8^th dan and “hanshi” title, corresponding to “kaiden no maki”.  

Soke Nakagawa considered that it was possible to achieve 1^st dan grade in one year of intensive trainings, then one year had to pass between all dan grades, including the 5^th. And having achieved the 5^th dan, it took two years to reach the 6^th. In three years the adherent, holding 6^th dan, could get “renshi” title.

Later on, however, “kyu” grades appeared in Nippon Iaido Renmei.

Nippon Iaido Renmei was grounded in 1975 by the Masters of three Iaido schools: Mugai Ryu, Enshin Ryu and Yagyu Shinkage Ryu. In some time Muso Shinden Ryu joined the organization. Soke Nakagawa became its first chairman.

It is known that after the death of the last Soke, Mugai Ryu students were also in Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei and Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei.

Grading process in Nippon Iaido Renmei started with series, consisting of five “toho” forms, where 2 Mugai Ryu and 3 Enshin Ryu techniques were included. It was a necessary element of the test. Then, after some rest, the candidate was to demonstrate corresponding technique of his School.

Mugai Ryu programme consists of a number of single katas and paired practices.

A student starts with kihon no kata (renshyu kata), to master which one needs from 3 to 6 months. These forms, on basic level are studying in “tachi waza” stance only. Special attention is paid towards “nukitsuke” and “notto”. There are eight such renshyu katas. Afterwards four “honryu kata” series are trained. 20 katas are to be mastered to the master’s grade. After Menkyo achievement 3 additional “oku iai kata”, also called “naiden”, are to be mastered. These katas, without any changes, were traditionally passed from the School’s founder to all men no maki holders.

Besides kata paired exercises and kumitachi are included in Mugai Ryu practice. Tameshigiri is also used to test certain techniques. Paired forms also include certain elements, which can be used in wakidzashi (these elements are trained in a sitting position).

It is known that Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu and Kukishin Ryu Masters, practicing in Himeiji, often became the Masters of Mugai Ryu. This tradition lasted up to the 20th century and some iai-jutsu Masters held simultaneously menkyo kaiden in other bu-jutsu. One of the best students of Soke Nakagawa was Hanshi Sato Kumimaro, the student of Soke Minaki from Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu. High grade was achieved by Renshi Mugai Ryu Yasumoto Akiyoshi, the present Soke of Moto-ha Yoshin Ryu, who had received 6th dan and “men-no maki” from Soke Nakagawa. His student, Nakai Norisato Sensei, got the same passing form Soke Nakagawa. In Soke Yasumoto Martial Arts School Mugai Ryu iai heiho is also called Moto-ha Maugai Ryu fudoshin iai.